I hated him until I didn't - Episode 2

The next day at school, I tried my best to avoid Ryan. I took a different route to my classes and even ate lunch in the library instead of the cafeteria. But of course, that didn’t stop him.
During English class, he walked in late like he always does and sat right behind me. I could feel his eyes on the back of my neck the whole time. When the teacher asked us to pair up for a discussion, guess who ended up as my partner?
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I muttered.
Ryan leaned forward, his breath brushing my ear. “Looks like fate, Liv.”
I turned around and glared. “Don’t call me that.”
He just smirked and rested his chin on his hand, watching me like I was the most interesting thing in the room. While everyone else was talking about the book, Ryan kept asking me random questions.
“Why do you hate me so much?” he whispered.
“Because you’re a bully,” I whispered back. “You treat people like trash just because your daddy has money.”
He didn’t laugh this time. His face got serious. “Maybe I’m not as bad as you think.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah right.”
When the bell rang, he grabbed my wrist gently before I could leave. His touch was warm, and it sent this weird spark up my arm. I pulled away quickly, but not before noticing how soft his fingers felt.
“Meet me after school by the bleachers,” he said quietly. “Just for five minutes.”
“No way.”
But the way he looked at me… it made my stomach do that stupid flip again. I hated how my body was betraying me.
The whole afternoon I kept arguing with myself. I wasn’t going to meet him. Absolutely not.
Yet when the final bell rang, my feet somehow carried me toward the football field. Ryan was already there, leaning against the bleachers in his leather jacket, looking ridiculously good with the sun hitting his face.
“You came,” he said, sounding surprised.
“Don’t get used to it,” I replied, crossing my arms.
He stepped closer. Too close. I could smell that expensive cologne again. He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers brushed my cheek, and I froze.
“You’re always fighting me,” he said softly. “But I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not watching.”
My heart was pounding so loud I was sure he could hear it. “You’re imagining things.”
Ryan smiled, that slow dangerous smile. “Am I?”
He moved even closer, his body almost touching mine. I could feel the heat coming off him. For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me. My eyes dropped to his lips without meaning to.
But then he just whispered, “Come to my house this weekend. My parents are out of town. We can talk… or not talk.”
Before I could answer, a group of his friends called his name from across the field. He stepped back, but not before giving me one last intense look.
“Think about it, Olivia.”
As he walked away, I stood there feeling dizzy. What the hell was happening to me?
That night, around 11 p.m., I was in my room doing homework when I heard a soft tap on my window. I thought I was imagining it… until it happened again.
I opened the curtains slowly.
Ryan was standing outside my window, grinning up at me like a crazy person.